The Internet Safety Campaign (ISC) is calling for a promotion of safety and security awareness in the use of computers and the Internet, in order to reduce the prevalence of cyber crime in SA.
Developing countries are particularly vulnerable to cyber crime, according to the ISC, because security and protection are not keeping pace with the constantly increasing number of new users who are gaining access to technology. This creates a problem at both the operational and tactical levels of security, limiting the capacity of the country to reduce incidences of cyber crime.
Because security systems for infrastructure protection and crisis management saw relatively late inception in SA, the country is increasingly facing more costly security challenges at both the policy and strategic levels, says the ISC. The campaign recommends that the legislation addressed in the National Cybersecurity Policy Framework should be implemented alongside technical protection, and integrated into networks and Internet services from the start.
Effective responses to cyber crime require a particularly sophisticated and specialised set of skills, and the ISC argues that government agencies need backup in order to deploy sufficient skills in the fight against cyber security weaknesses. The ISC initiative intends to provide this support by empowering users with basic knowledge and tools, over time working towards a safe online environment with protection from crime and other illicit activities.
The ISC - a non-profit initiative run by volunteers representing civil society, as well as both the private and public sectors - will be Africa's first large-scale campaign of this nature. The campaign is calling for organisations of every size with an interest in ICT development, or providing ICT-related services, to promote Internet safety by sponsoring the campaign. This would provide the organisations with access to resources, as well as exposure, says the ISC.
"We are calling on all stakeholders who are keen to demonstrate leadership and embrace shared responsibility. You have the ability to understand how things work and have this opportunity to educate and empower others, so commit to the cause," says the campaign manifesto. "Play your part in promoting awareness of safety and security practices in the use of computers and the Internet and help prevent cyber crime."
For more information on the initiative, click here.
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